Manny's New Love
by Chellz1
Summary: After Manny has her baby and Craig's death can she ever love again?
1. Antonio

I was almost late. I fed my daughter, Margarita and ran to school. I was supposed to be in grade eleven but I was in grade ten classes. I hurried into the class of unknown faces and sat in a lonely seat. Although I knew nobody, everybody knew who I was, my story and my legacy. Half way into the period a new kid came into class. His name was Antonio Cabrera. He sat right next to me.  
"Hey, I'm Antonio." He said to me. I was nervous. "but everybody calls  
me Tony"  
"I'm Emmanuella. But." I stopped there. What if somebody warned him about me? Manny, the Degrassi whore. I was about to tell him to call me Manny but I quickly thought of something else. "You can call me what ever you want" Cute and sexy. "Are you Filipino?" He asked me. I nodded. "Me too" he said. Class started. I already knew most of what she was teaching. Even though I was a year behind I wouldn't be if it weren't for having Margarita and then when I took off because of Craig's death. During the whole class I fantasized about Tony and me. It reminded me of when I first saw Craig. His sexy dark hair and huge puppy dog eyes. Before I knew it class was over. I had lunch. I saw all of the couples of Degrassi. Paige and Spinner, Jimmy and Hazel, Terri and Toby, Marco and Dylan, Emma and Chris. Then I saw Antonio. Nervously I walked over to him. "Is this seat taken?" I asked him. "No, Manny." He said. I sat down. "How did you like it?" "Like what?" "The nickname I made for you, Manny." "Oh, I love you." I said. "Holy shit! I meant 'it'. I'm so sorry" He smiled at me smoothly. The same kind of smile Craig gave to me. "So. What are you doing after school?" I blushed. "Nothing." I said. Then I had an idea. "You want to come over to my house" I wrote down the address and gave it to him. "Meet me here, thirty minutes after school is over." I paused. "I want you to meet somebody. 


	2. Memories

I came home. I told Sylvia, Margaritas nanny to go home. I looked around the house. I saw a picture of Craig. I remembered him. I felt him in the room. After he died I realized there was a reason for Margarita. She taught me to grow up. But more importantly she's the last living Manning. She is part of Craig. I looked at Margarita and realized how much she reminded me of Craig. Suddenly I had a flashback. It was almost a year ago. Margarita was only one. Joey called my house. His exact words were ' Manny. Craig has been shot. He got into a fight with Sean. If you want you and your family can come to our house. I think you have to see this.' Then he hung up. He was crying. It turned out Sean wanted to ask me out and Craig told him that he still loved me and that we were a family. They got into a fight; Sean brought out a gun and shot Craig. Shot him to his death. Well if being the fucked up pregnant teen wasn't enough. Now I was on the brink of suicide. Everyday I thought about it. But then I thought about Margarita. She'd be an orphan. I also remember my help group for young parents. For a year that was my school. At night Craig came. I remember he was the only father there who seemed to love his child. I remember there was this one guy who kept on referring hid son to the thing. Like it was a monster. Once Craig told him that he was disgusted with him. He was half of this amazing human being and treating it like an inanimate object. He told this total stranger how much he loved Margarita and me. He thought I didn't hear but I did. I thought after that Craig would be the guy I was to marry. We'd live happily ever and have Margarita and a brother for her as proof as our love. I think I'm crying. I wish Craig were here. Why? Why couldn't I have stayed the innocent Manny? I doubt I'd even been kissed by now. 


	3. I want you to meet someone

Tony came over. He saw the tears in my eyes. He asked me what was wrong. I just shook my head no.  
"Tony. There's somebody I want you to meet." He probably thought it was going to be my sister, but I think he was scared. I took his hand and lead him up the stairs, into Margarita's bedroom. I picked her up. "Tony, this is Margarita. My daughter" He held her awfully closely. Smirked. "What?"  
"You don't remember me? The help group for young parents?"  
"You! You're the one! The one who called his son a monster!"  
"Thanks for rubbing it in. You know your boyfriend really gave me a new light on life. Where is he? You know he really did love you.  
I shuddered. Then told him. "Degrassi Cemetery. He died last year. He was shot" He quieted down. The he told me his story.  
Four years ago he got his girlfriend pregnant. He was a year younger than me when it happened. Then he broke up with his girl friend. When she had the baby he knew the child was his. All he ever wanted was to be a father. So he begged and begged to let him be a part of the baby's life. But she swore on her life that the baby was not his. They had to get a DNA test and everything. Then when they finally proved that the baby was his, his parents kicked him out of the house. He couldn't believe that one little creature that he wanted so much had caused him so much trouble. The he talked to Craig. He knew if one person loved their child in the group it was Craig. The one day last year Tony's girlfriend Patricia dropped their son Juan, off at Tony's house and she never came back.  
Then slowly Tony leaned into me and we started to make out.  
"Oh, I love you so much Craig!" I said to him. Big mistake. 


	4. I didn't mean to say that

"What did you call me?" He asked sternly.  
"I'm sorry! I was just thinking about him and that's all, I'm sorry. It won't happen again." The tone in his voice scared me.  
" It better not, bitch." I stared at him. Was this the same sweet Tony who I talked to at lunch? He must have been in a bad mood. That's all. I hoped. I prayed. For a while there was an eerie silence.  
"Hey, Manny, I have an idea."  
"Yeah?" Slowly he brought his lips close to mine.  
"Maybe one day my son, Juan, can play with Margarita." I smiled.  
"Margarita would like that, a lot." He smiled. I realized hoe much I missed with being with somebody, especially a person that cared. A person like Tony or Craig. A person who cared for me and loved me.  
"Holy Shit. It's five!" He kissed me. "Bye Manny."  
"Bye, Craig." Fuck. "Tony! I'm so sorry!"  
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU CALL ME YOU SKANKY LITTLE WHORE?!" He pushed me hard and I fell down. I hoped he didn't mean it.  
"Tony, I didn't mean it! It's just like that Craig was perfect, you are too." He glared at me.  
"I hope that was it." He kissed me and said goodbye. I couldn't believe this was happening. A man who seemed perfect for me was abusive. I needed to tell somebody. I thought of calling a hotline but none came to my mind. Then I remember. Terri. I never really talked to her but I knew whom she was. She had an abusive boyfriend in grade ten. I looked up Macgregor in the phone book. Only one entry. Without thinking I dialed the phone number.  
"Hi, Is Terri there?"  
"Yeah hold on, Terri! Telephone call for you"  
"I got it, Hello?"  
"Umm. Hi Terri, It's Manny Santos. Umm . . . Yeah. You had a boyfriend in grade ten, Rick, Right?"  
"Oh no, are you going out with him?"  
"No but my boyfriend Tony, Is abusive. But he's perfect for me!"  
"Okay Manny dump this guy. First you have a daughter right?"  
"Yeah."  
"So he probably thinks you're easy."  
"No! He has a son!"  
"And how did he get this son? Magic I suppose? Secondly, dump him before things get any worse. The longer you go out with him the more he'll hurt you and the more you think your perfect for each other."  
"But we are perfect for each other!"  
"But let's say you are still going out in two years and decide to get married after you graduate high school. If he's an abusive husband he's an abusive father. You don't want him to hurt your daughter do you?" I couldn't believe Terri was talking like this. She never even met Tony.  
"Terri, your wrong. I'm going to prove it to you and the rest of this world. Me and Tony are getting married." 


	5. One Question

The next day in school I sat next to Tony again. We kissed and sat down. We were holding hands in class and I realized his hands were like Craig's. Skinny, yet strong. The he whispered something in my ear.  
"Manny. You can come to my house after school. Bring Margarita. And don't worry I have protection this time." I blushed.  
"With or without as long as it's with you my life is perfect." He kissed me. I was scared that we'd be caught making out in class. It's weird. I've been through so much stuff in my life and I'm still nervous about kissing.  
After school I changed into sexier clothing. I don't why. It was just going to come off any way. It just raised my self-esteem. I dressed Margarita and went to Tony's house. When I got there we left Margarita and Juan together. Then we went it to Tony's room. Slowly he undressed me and I did to him. We started making out and eventually we were doing it. He wasn't like Craig. He was tougher, more vicious. But it was Tony and no matter what he did I loved him.  
"Manny I love you" He said while lightly touching my face.  
"I love you too, Cr." I just realized what I was about to say quickly I changed what I was going to say "Crazily. So crazy I have an idea" He didn't have a clue of my mistake.  
"What?"  
"What if we show everybody wrong and get married?"  
"You and me?"  
"Yeah you and me, we can be a family, you, me, Juan and Margarita."  
"What's the legal age limit?"  
"Sixteen with parent consent. I mean we're both Filipino, so our parents will approve. Like Craig was white. I doubt my parents would let me marry him. But your Filipino too so it's different"  
"Okay, I want too." We shared a kiss.  
"I love you so much Craig."  
"What???"  
"Tony!! I mean Tony!! I love you Tony!" Then he smacked me. I fell down and blacked out. When I finally woke up I asked him one question.  
"Can we still get married?" 


End file.
